Avoid these 10 common makeup blunders

As with everything else, the art of applying make-up has also undergone a great deal of refinement in the recent years. But many women still slip at the most basic techniques. Let’s look at the common mistakes women make while applying makeup and how to correct them.

1. Wearing the wrong foundation shade

This is the commonest mistake. The shade of foundation is judged from two things—the undertone and the shade itself. Unless these two are correctly merged, you will not get the right shade of foundation for your skin. Firstly, identify your undertone by looking at the veins of your wrist. Green indicates warm while blue indicates cool undertones. Select a foundation that matches your undertone and is one shade lighter than your skin-tone. In general, it is advisable to apply the foundation on the face and test it under natural light to see whether it matches your skin or not. Otherwise, a shortcut method is to take three closest shades and apply on the jaw line and simply dab them to blend into your skin. The colour that merges onto the skin quickest is the shade for you. Remember, foundation is the base and if your base isn’t matching your skin tone, the whole makeup will look wrong.

2. Not blending your foundation onto your neck

When you don’t blend the foundation onto your neck, it looks like you have a mask on. This gives a “made up” look. The purpose of applying foundation is that it should provide an even tone to your skin, especially to areas that are not easily covered by makeup. Take your time to apply the foundation on to the neck and blend it evenly.

3. Wearing the wrong blush shade

Once again, the formula for choosing the correct shade of blush lies in the identification of the undertones. Blush is the natural flush of colour that you want to add. Start working with very little colour and blend it thoroughly in an outward motion. Then, keep in mind the shade of your lipstick and apply the blush once you have applied the lip colour. For bold lips, choose a colour with same undertone as your skin and lip and apply very softly. For muted lips, apply the blush with an undertone of your own skin tone.

4. Applying too much concealer

Concealers are great for covering and concealing the flaws to make you look impeccable. Then again, too much concealer will not only highlight the flaws [read fine lines and wrinkles] but will also crease up and ruin the whole look. Hence, the whole purpose is defeated. So, choose a concealer that is lightweight and blends easily into your skin. For under eyes, use a lightweight brightening concealer, while for acne and scars use a slightly thicker one that matches your skin tone. Remember, blending is the key here. All you have to do is dab the colour until it looks just like your normal skin. Don’t load up too many products at a time; if you are looking for high coverage just build up the layers gently.

5. Forgetting to prep your skin before applying makeup

A lot of women skip prepping and priming their skin before applying makeup and that’s why their makeup doesn’t last long. Prepping the skin involves cleansing, toning and moisturising your skin, which gives you a clean canvas to start off on. Make sure you select a good moisturiser for your skin type and give it 3 – 4 minutes to be absorbed. Apply a good primer that will even out the skin, fill in the pores and hold the makeup throughout the day.

6. Applying too much powder

Applying too much powder won’t save your face from looking oily; on the contrary, over-powdering your face will simply clog the pores, stimulate excess oil secretion and ultimately lead to acne and blemishes. Firstly, do not apply powder where it isn’t required [For example, if you have an oily T-zone, you don’t need any powder on cheeks or jawline]. Secondly, always apply powder with a brush, using carefree and light strokes. Also, make sure to dust off the excess powder from the brush before applying it.

A lot of women skip prepping and priming their skin before applying makeup and that’s why their makeup doesn’t last long

7. Applying too much blush and bronzer

This makeup blunder is known to make women look clownish and fake. The purpose of a blush and bronzer is to add colour to your face or just to contour and add dimensions. Use both, blush and bronzer very sparingly so that there is a minimal chance of it going wrong. Also, while application, make sure the lighting is perfect or use a natural light as a source so that you know how much to apply. Again, always tap the brush for excess before slathering over the skin. Spend some time on blending! Here are some more tips on applying blush.

8. Over-applying liner on bottom lash line

If you don’t wish to look like a raccoon, do not over-apply liner to the bottom lash line. Simply, apply a stroke of kajal and use a precise pencil brush to smudge it. Too much kajal or kohl on the bottom lash line can add years to your face and ruin the whole look.

9. Doing bold eyes and lips, together

This is a mistake for which the makeup police will not forgive you. Our eyes and lips are both expressive features, hence both should not be highlighted at the same time. While going for a bold lip colour make sure the eye-makeup is minimal with a simple winged line. Similarly, for the bold eyes, choose a very neutral or natural lip colour.

10. Not blending your eyeshadows

Eyeshadows are wonderful if applied properly. Sometimes even single colour on the lids can make you look glamorous provided you blend the colour properly. Make sure you have at least one transition shade. A good matte transition shade is a must if you are using 3 or 4 eye shadows together. Use a medium size fluffy brush to blend the colours. Keep blending the colours in a wide swipe motion until the harsh lines completely disappear. Do not layer too much at a time; slowly build up the intensity you desire.

Applying makeup is something you get better at with practice. Just follow the above tips, get your basics right and you’ll never go wrong with makeup.

This was first published in the April 2016 issue of Complete Wellbeing.